Meeker

Meeker High School science students testing roller coaster energy loss

This is Allie Willey’s “blueprint” of her Loopty Loop coaster showing the materials, calculations, key to symbols and her drawing scale. Other coasters had a wide variety of apropos names including the Tower of Terror, The North Pole and the Rat Trap.
This is Allie Willey’s “blueprint” of her Loopty Loop coaster showing the materials, calculations, key to symbols and her drawing scale. Other coasters had a wide variety of apropos names including the Tower of Terror, The North Pole and the Rat Trap.
MEEKER I Four judges picked out the top 10 Meeker High School freshmen’s marble roller coasters last week from more than 50 submitted as part of their physical science classes taught by Michelle Selle this fall. Some were done by individuals, others by teams of two. The projects were part of the classes’ energy studies. Energy, of course, is the ability to do work. Calculations were made to measure the gravitational potential (stored) energy at the top of the coasters and the kinetic energy (resulting from motion, based on mass and velocity of the marble) at the bottom.
Kale Burke’s No. 2-ranked Blue Lagoon Joy Ride marble coaster, in the foreground, had a transferred energy loss of 70 percent. Although he used the action of a sawed-off BB gun to start his marble (from the bottom) with elastic energy, his marble transferred a lot of energy, having to go up two big loops. In the background: on the left, Allie Willey’s No. 6-ranked Loopty Loop blue coaster with lights; in the middle, Kyler Bland’s pragmatic black tubing coaster; and, on the right, Ellie Anderson’s lit-up pipe insulation coaster.
Kale Burke’s No. 2-ranked Blue Lagoon Joy Ride marble coaster, in the foreground, had a transferred energy loss of 70 percent. Although he used the action of a sawed-off BB gun to start his marble (from the bottom) with elastic energy, his marble transferred a lot of energy, having to go up two big loops. In the background: on the left, Allie Willey’s No. 6-ranked Loopty Loop blue coaster with lights; in the middle, Kyler Bland’s pragmatic black tubing coaster; and, on the right, Ellie Anderson’s lit-up pipe insulation coaster.

The two energy levels would be the same if it weren’t for factors like sound, thermal, mechanical and friction energy transferred on the way through. The percent energy lost, or transferred, was calculated. Students were to design ways their coasters would minimize the transferred energy. The coasters were to have a footprint no larger than a square meter, be free-standing, have at least two “hills,” the first at least 1 meter high, and be made of readily available resources they could find at home.
Mrs. Selle called this lesson “Roller Coaster Mania.” The judges’ top 10 results, given here with their percentage of transferred energy, are: No. 1 – The Mega Coaster (20 percent loss), Megan Shelton; No. 2 – The Blue Lagoon Joy Ride (70 percent loss), Kale Burke; No. 3 – The Rat Trap (55 percent loss), Gracie Bradfield and Kassie Luce; No. 4 – The Red Rocket (51 percent loss), Allison Moon; No. 5 – The Tour of Lights (87 percent loss), Luis Villalpando; No. 6 – The Loopty Loop (more than 65 percent loss), Allie Willey; No. 7 – The Anteloop (93 percent loss), Brennan Jensen; No. 8 – The Zipper (33 percent loss), Michaela Jones; No. 9 – The Tower of Terror (4 percent gain), Charlie Day; and No. 10 (tie) – The Dr. Seuss (73 percent), Savanah May and Jonathon Lopez, and The Coaster of Terror, Andy Kracht.
Day’s coaster was the only one that allowed for an energy gain. He let gravity take control the entire ride with his horizontal loops sloping down rather than being completely flat.
According to Selle, Day also used centripetal force in his system.
The judges were Meeker School Board members Bud Ridings, Kevin Amack and Bill deVergie, and former school board member Dan Chinn.
The percent of energy loss was only one of several factors evaluated by the judges.

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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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4 days ago
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A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
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The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
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Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
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